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Help with relactation

Hello:

This is my first time posting a message and I need some help. I have a 2 month old baby girl and had been bf exclusively until last week when I came down with mastitis. I was given a very strong antibiotic and told to stop bf. I later found out this was not necessary. My milk supply has since come down drastically and I have started to feed my baby formula. Mastitis (along with the awful breast pain and high fever) is now gone and I would like to resume bf. Is this possible? I am so sad, I often cry and feel sad about was happened.
I would appreciate any advice.

Re: Help with relactation

I'm sorry to hear you were given the wrong information and had to supplement your baby. Yes, it is definitely possible to increase your milk supply and return to EBFing. Take a baby moon by lying around in bed or on the couch and nurse your baby as frequently as possible. The more frequent you nurse the faster your milk will come back. You could also try eating oatmeal. A good website to visit for more information on increasing your milk supply is http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html. I would hope that in a few days you should start to see an increase in your supply and should be able to decrease the amount of supplementation your using. Good luck and keep us updated.

Re: Help with relactation

Can you tell us how much you are supplementing?
If it is a substantial amount, ease back into being fully dependent on breastfeeding. The rule is feed the baby. In around a week (this varies) of consistent breastfeeding and/or pumping regularly as well, you should be back up to speed. How often are you guys nursing now?
What is your feeling about the cause of the mastitus?

Re: Help with relactation

Right now I am supplementing almost the entire feed because I have maybe 1 oz every 4-6 hrs. I have tried pumping and can only get 1 oz. After finishing the antibiotic (4 days) my milk supply came down to almost none. I still put my baby to the breast but is only useful so she can fall asleep as I know she is not feeding from that. This is so hard on me and so sad. I am so bummed you have no idea. Mix in a little post partum depresion and the fact that this is my last child (we decided 3 was enough) and that she is the only one I have been able to successfully bf (the other two were a horror story, no help) makes it even harder.

Re: Help with relactation

Originally Posted by Lalasenior

Right now I am supplementing almost the entire feed because I have maybe 1 oz every 4-6 hrs. I have tried pumping and can only get 1 oz. After finishing the antibiotic (4 days) my milk supply came down to almost none. I still put my baby to the breast but is only useful so she can fall asleep as I know she is not feeding from that. This is so hard on me and so sad. I am so bummed you have no idea. Mix in a little post partum depresion and the fact that this is my last child (we decided 3 was enough) and that she is the only one I have been able to successfully bf (the other two were a horror story, no help) makes it even harder.

There are some mommas that can never pump very much, so you can't really go by how much comes out in the pump to tell you how much your little one would be getting. I get someone to help you with your other kids if possible and go to bed with your little one for a couple of days and nurse nurse nurse, if she is nursing even more often she might not need the formula. That is what I had to do to get rid of mastitis. I am sorry you were told what you were. I got rid of mine with no antibiotics by just nursing nursing nursing. This is also how you bring up your supply. The good thing is you still have milk!!! So milk is a supply and demand. I would nurse your little one and not give ANY formula until after she has nursed. Then I would try cutting her back off the formula some each day. But I wouldn't give her ANY formula until after she nurses, then I would pump after she nurses too to increase supply. After about a week I would think you would be back up in your supply and could probably go off the formula totally if you aren't already off it by then. I know it will feel like all your doing is nursing for a few days but you can do it!!! THen everything will be back to normal!!!

Re: Help with relactation

Thank you so very much for all the advice, I feel better already. She just nursed before falling asleep and I think I heard a swallow, best sound in days !! I will try getting help with the other two and dedicate the time needed to bring back up my supply. Thanks again, will keep you posted !